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Like clams, oysters, cod and haddock? Better enjoy them now!

Ever hear of climate change’s evil twin, ocean acidification? You might have heard scientists talk about it and wondered what the heck it was all about. I know I did.

Ocean acidification is a mouthful for what could be a huge problem. Apparently the ocean has been absorbing air pollution – CO2 – since the 1700s when the industrial revolution began, and now the ocean is absorbing even more CO2 because China, India, and other countries are becoming more industrialized and adding to the pollution.

Will this harm the fish, lobsters, clams and oysters we love?

We may see only 8-25% of the cod we see now, and we are not seeing a whole lot of local cod now as you know. Other fish such as haddock and even squid may be affected too, a recent in depth study by scientists from the US, Europe, China, Japan and Canada showed.

Like your steamers and oysters? Better have them while you can. Clams and oysters may no longer be able to build their shells causing them to die off here. Experiments with swimming snails showed their shells dissolved in 45 days when placed in sea water with increased C02.

Lobsters, on the other hand, may do well. Both lobsters and crabs may grow thicker shells and making it more challenging getting to that claw and knuckle lobster meat and tough going to pick crab meat.

The study theorized the whole food chain in fact may be seriously affected causing even more difficult problems with the seafood we love.